Liverpool beat Bayern Munich 3-1 on aggregate in their Champions League clash and we unpick it all.
“Just when I thought I was out … they pull me back in.”
Well, folks, welcome.
Welcome to the world where Liverpool wins the big games and gets the results they need and deserve. Unfamiliar territory for us millennials, no doubt, but here we are none the less. And where is *here*? Here is the world where Jurgen Klopp strolls into Munich and handles the six-straight-time German champions.
Here is a place where I am proud to proclaim that reports of Liverpool’s demise have been greatly overstated.
Liverpool, currently in the midst of their worst form of the season and losers of three out of three road games in the Champions League group stage, walked into the home of the German giants and delivered a performance that became synonymous with last season’s Champions League run but largely missing from their play in recent months.
Following some individual brilliance from Sadio Mane’s first-half chip, Liverpool capitulated an unnecessary equalizer late in the first half, giving Bayern a lifeline that they ultimately didn’t deserve.
But in the later 45, the Reds utterly dominated the Bavarian beasts, walking away from the Allianz Arena with a 3-1 victory.
In a game mostly influenced by the nature of the away goal, Klopp thoroughly outclassed Nike Kovac on the night, as the lads were largely in comfortable control throughout the night.
While Bayern dominated possession, it was largely in the middle third of the pitch, as Die Roten did not have the speed nor the quality to break through what amounted to a back seven for Liverpool.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the pitch, the Reds did what they became famous for in last year’s competition: counter-attacking. The second game-changing score from Virgil van Dijk withstanding, both goals were the result of catching Bayern’s defense out of position.
So, now, where is here following this historic result? Here is currently standing as one of the favorites in the Champions League, as the Reds have as good of a shot as the City, Barca, and Juve.
Oh, and not to mention that whole Premier League thing. We’re still in that too.